Inflatable buoyant device



June 6, 1961 BAREN. 2,986,751

INFLATABLE BUOYANT DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1958 INVENTOR. gal/e 7/6 BY M/ 977 Qflm/v/ce71 2,986,751 INFLATABLE BUOYANT DEVICE Louis Baren, 8130 Kilpatrick Ave., Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 2, 1958, Ser. No. 758,179 1 Claim. (Cl. 9-310) This invention relates to inflatable buoyant devices such as are used in water sports and games and more particularly to an improved inflatable combined water sled and raft.

In recent years the popularity of water sports of various types has increased tremendously. Numbered among such sports are water-skiing, aquaplaning, surf-board riding and the like. Also long popular is water sledding which comprises the art of sliding down an incline into the water or being towed by a watercraft. Various devices and apparatus have been perfected for use in the aforementioned sports, such devices including surf-boards, water-skis, water-sleds, and the like. The aforementioned devices are commonly made of wood, albeit the same may be buoyant.

Rafts, of course, have long been used by swimmers, divers and other water-sportsmen. Their construction and design are well known, although in recent years, inflatable rubber or plastic rafts have been introduced. These inflatable rafts have a considerable advantage over the usual buoyant non-collapsible rafts by virtue of their ready portability and the fact that upon deflation they may be folded and stored in a minimum of space. As a matter of fact such rafts have become quite popular among watersport enthusiasts.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an inflatable apparatus which may be used either as a raft or as a water sled.

Another important object of this invention is to afford an inflatable sled so constructed that the same may be used-either for sliding down inclines or may be towed in the water in a manner similar to aquaplanes, water skis, or the like.

A further object is to provide an inflatable device of the character described, so designed that the same may be used as a surf-board.

Still'another object is toafford an inflatable buoyant platform which may be readily inflated to its operational form and just as readily collapsed and folded to occupy a minimum of storage space.

Still a further object is to afford a device of the character described which may be constructed of inexpensive water-proof material such as rubber or plastic, but which when properly inflated aflords a sturdy platform or substantially rigid sled.

Yet another object is to provide an inflatable buoyant combination raft and sled of sturdy yet inexpensive construction and which is further characterized by its pleasing appearance.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

; United States Patent "'ice 2,986,751 Patented June 6, 1961 Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures of the drawrngs:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a buoyant inflatable water sled incorporating therein the principles of my invention; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the same.

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates generally a water sled made of an inflatable pliable material such as rubber or plastic and comprising a platform portion 12 having an integrally formed upwardly inclined prow member 14.

The platform 12 may comprise a plurality of elongated tube members such as 15. Each tube 15 is positioned in parallel adjacent abutting relationship with the next tube and is connected thereto along one edge as at 16. The tubes 15 are capable of being inflated to alford a plurality of air or gas filled cylinders which in combination with each other afford a buoyant yet substantially solid platform or raft. In fabrication, the entire platform portion 12 may be integrally formed so that each tube member 15 is connected to its adjacent tube member along its side edge, thus providing a sturdy unitary platform 12 having laterally extending grooves 17 between adjacent tube members. This method of construction obviously aifords a plurality of air chambers 15, each having its own water-tight integrity, so that in the event of the inadvertent puncture or rupture of one of the tube members, the sled will still be buoyantly maintained by the remaining air chambers.

Both of the outermost tubes 15 may be formed with outwardly protruding flanges such as 18. Mounted on these flanges 18 in a position intermediate the length of the raft, may be a pair of handles such as 20 the function of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Integnally formed at one end of the platform 12 is prow member 14. This prow member may comprise inflatable triangular shaped pocket or sack-like member 22 defined by a top wall 24, a pair of inclined side walls such as 26, a bottom wall 28 and a base portion 31).The

base portion'30 isrpositioned adjacent to, and in abutting relationship with, the front end portions 32 of the raft and may be integrally formed therewith'or so connected as to permit the pocket 22 to be inflated simultaneously with the inflation of the platform tubes 15. As shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the two above described portions are connected or joined together as at seam 34, thereby imparting to the prow member 14 its own watertight integrity. Thus, if the prow member 14 were to become inadventently deflated, the platform 12 would still remain buoyant. The seam 34 likewise performs another function which will be subsequently described. As further shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the prow member 14 is likewise inclined so that the same slopes downwardly from front to rear, thereby affording an arcuate upwardly curving bottom front surface 28 which is of particular advantage in permitting smooth rapid passage of the vehicle through the water when the same is used in the manner in which will soon be described. In this regard, it will be noted that the bottom wall 28 flows uninterruptedly into the tubes 15, so that the seam 34 is formed solely by virtue of the reversely and downwardly curved top wall 24 which meets said bottom wall 28 to provide the base portion 30.

As further illustrated in the drawings, integrally formed or attached at positions intermediate the length of the side surfaces 26 are a pair of cars such as 36, one formed on' each side of the prow. These ears are provided with openlugs 38 through which may be threaded and attached tow ropes such as R.

It should, of course, be readily apparent that the device described'hereinabove maybe used as a buoyant floating platform or raft on which may be supported one or more people. When itis desired to use the device as a'water sled for carrying one or more individuals down an incline into the water the user merely sits, stands orreclines on the platform while retaining his position thereon by merely grasping the side handles 20. If the user desires to be towed through the Water the same is readilyiachieved by means of the tow-ropes R attached to the device as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The unattached end of the ropes R may be pulled either by another individual why a speeding boat or the like. When the device is being towed by a boat it is obvious that the same may be used in the same manner as water-skis or an aquaplane. If desired, the user may stand in an erect position on the platform 12, and then use the device as a surf board while maintaining his equilibrium without any aid whatsoever or, if desired, with the assistance of the ropes R which he may grasp in his hands.

Perhaps the most popular usage of the device as a sled is as a self-propelled vehicle. In this method the user holds the sled in front and out of the water while running to gain maximum acceleration. He then, flops down on the sled stomach down in a prone position so that the momentum carries the sled forward through the water.

As previously described, the prow member 14 is connected to the platform 12 by the seam 34. When the prow member is fully inflated and there are no additional forces exerted thereon, the same occupies the normal upwardly curved position shown in FIG. 2. However, the seam 34 provides a desirably yieldable juncture so that the normal position of the prow member may be varied. Thus, for example, when the device is being rapidly towed in the manner of an aquaplane, the standing rider may pull backwardly on his ropes and raise the prow member-upwardly or even completely out of the water, thereby reducing the drag on the entire device. Similarly, when during any of the above described uses, the prow member is depressed downwardly into the water, the triangular shape and pointed front thereof once again decreases the drag and permits the device to be propelled through the water at thegreatest possible speed and with miximum eificiency.

It should, of course, be readily apparent that afterthe use of the device has been completed, it is a simple matter to deflate the device through a valve (or valves) of the 4 conventional type (not shown in the drawing) and when the same has been completely deflated, merely roll or fold the collapsed device into a neat and compact package which may be readily transported and stored in a minimum of space.

It is believed that myinvention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent'of the United States is:

An inflatable buoyant plastic device of thecharacter-described comprising a plurality of integrally formed pliable elongated tube members positioned in parallel abutting relationship to afford a platform, a triangular-shaped upwardly inclined pliable prow connected at its base in abutting relationship to an end of said platform, a narrow seam connecting said prow to said platform, said prow defined by a top wall, a pair of inclined side walls and a bottom wall, a handle integrally formed on each of the outermost of said tube members, and an outwardly protruding ear integrally formed on each of the side walls of said prow, said ears adapted to accommodate tow ropes for towing said device, said seam affording a resilient flexible juncture whereby the inclination of said prow may be varied in relation to said platform, the bottom wall of said prow being convexely curved from tip to base and flowing uninterruptedly into said end of said platform and said top wall being concavely curved from tip to a point in spaced relationship with the base at which point said top wall is reversely and downwardly curved to meet said bottom wall and thereby afford said scam and base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,206,696 Gulbrandsen Nov. 28, 1916 1,262,989 Silvernail Apr. .16, 1918 2,396,212 Spanel Mar. 5, 1946 2,623,574 Damsch Dec. 30, 1952 2,717,399 Backhouse Sept. 13, 1955 2,928,109 Wilber Mar. 15, 1960 

